Giant Killers Drumaness Mills stood tall in their visit to Newry City with a 1-2 win
The Clearer Water Irish Cup, Round 4
Newry Showgrounds, Saturday 21st November 2025,
Final Score: Newry City 1 2 Drumaness Mills.
Drumaness Mills pulled off a brilliant win against tough Irish League adversaries Newry City at the Newry Showgrounds against the odds in weather conditions that could only be described as atrocious writes Jim Masson.
From the whistle the sheets of sleet and rain pummeled the players making the 90+ minutes a test of endurance.
Newry City started of sharply with sharp passing looking for an early goal to silence the visitors. But after pressure for 10 minutes, Drumaness steadied and fought back with attacks. Stakwart front players Callum Dougan and Jack Sharvin led the charge at the Newry goal throughout.
But overall it must be said that Drumness clicked well as a team from front to back, and Aaron Carberry back from a spell off through illness was outstanding making many fine saves in very slippery conditions.
Early on Declan Carville crossed to Stephen Moan who hit a volley on target but keeper Carberry got it under control quickly.
Keegan Domican then made an excellent cvross upofielf to Dougan and Sharbvin in clear space but the referee blew for offside.
Minutes later Drumaness left winger TYomas McNeill launched. a trike which just went over the Newry top bar on 17 minutes.
The game tended to go to and fro with no team clearly dominating. Sharvin hit a powerful volley but it to went just over the bar. DFrumaness then worked their way into the game more, their confidence growing as the game went on.
It was Kyle McvCleery’s turm to take a shot at the Newry goal and he just went wide of the inside post from a Dougan cross. Newry keeper Jason Craughwell did well given the slippery conditions.
Then on 30 minutes Newry tried to lift their game but Drumaness were having none of it and their defence were holding out from steady Newry attacks which generated a number of corners but Drumaness were sharp on the ball giving Newry no time to compose themselves.
Newry Stephen Moan hit a belter of a volletyfrom 40 yards and Carberry made a tremendous save fingering the ball over the top bar for a corner on 37 minutes.
Then Moan again hit the ball at a sharp angle almost sneaking in into the backpost.
Just before half-time, Declan Looney replaced Keegan Domican and made a significant difference to play.
On 50 minutes Newry opened the scoring with a well taken low strike from 30 yards from a cross from Jack Chambers after Moan was taken down just outside the Drumaness box.
But Drumaness kept their cool and pressed back and in 53 minutes Sean Paul Holland equalised from a cross in from Kyle McCleery. Drumaness were determined not to roll over and sensed that the game was there to be won and they certainly defended wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
Altogether Drumaness picked up 5 yellow cards to none by Newry City.
Brian Lee Newell in an attack struck the ball just wide again of the back post. Opportunities were there for Newry but they were not seizing them.
Newry did have a spell when they press hard to gain the ascendency, but Drumaness were playing well as a team. And the more Newry moved forward, they were leaving their defence exposed.
There were a series of corners as Drumaness was under pressure and it looked as though at least one would go in, but the clung on desperately clearing attack on attack.
Then Drumaness broke forward and a long ball forward from Jack Sharvin saw Calum Dougan collect the ball on the edge of the Newry box and hit low to the inside post beating keeper Craughwell.
Drumaness were now in the lead and had to hold on until the whistle.
The Drumanes defenders then had to defend for the lives and Domican made a great block denying Newry an equaliser.
SAs Newry pressed forward, Sharvin found space and went on a run forcing Craughwell to come out. Sharvin then chipped the ball over his head but it was just inches over the top bar.
As Newry pressed, Drumaness fought back with everything they had and it did result in a few corners. But they survived them all.
Sharvon broke forward again through the stretched defence and hit a volley on target but Craughwell held it well.
There were 7 long minutes of extra time due to injuries. Moan found space again and lashed the ball at the Drumaness goal but Carberry smothered the low strike well.
As the clock ticked the pressure on the teams was incredible as they both clawed their way through the heavy, freezing rain as if time stood still.
The final whistle saw the Drimaness dugout explode into raptures of joy at taking a scalp from an Irish League team in the head to-head clash in terrible weather conditions.
Drumaness are definitely on a roll as the season is progressing.
Drumaness Mills: 1 Aaron Carberry GK) 2 Keegan Domican 3 Sean Paul Holland 4 Adam Garlaqnd 5 Gary Murdock (C) 6 Anton McGrattan 7 Eoin Murray 8 Kyle McCleery 9 Callum Dougan 10 Jack Sharvin 11 Thomas McNeill. Subs: 12 Sean Og gallagher 14 Declan Looney 15 james McGivern 16 Daniel Bell 17 Sean McQuoid.
Newry City: 1 ]ason Craughwell (GK + C), 3 Jordan King 4 Matthew Rendina 7 Jack Chambers 9 Brian Lee Newell 11 Shane Forbes 12 Evan McEnleggart 18 Stephen Moan 19 Kelly Dalton 20 Scott McCullough 26 George Poynon. Subs: 21 Reece McKeown (gk) 8 Declan Carville 14 Kane Rossiter 17 Cormac McNally 27 Ryan Fearon 36 Charlie McGrath 40 Jack Kelly.
(MORE MATCH PHOTOS WILL BE UPLOADED THIS EVENING… I’m still drying out!!).
